


A Touch of the Blues

by MemesDreamsAndBeans



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, F/F, Flower shop owner Nicole, Tattoo artist Waverly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2018-12-18 02:20:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11864616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MemesDreamsAndBeans/pseuds/MemesDreamsAndBeans
Summary: Waverly Earp surprises the entire town of Purgatory. Nicole Haught wants a place to settle and call her own.





	1. She Wears Scarlet Begonias Tucked Into Her Curls

Chapter One

Nobody in Purgatory ever expected much from the Earp girls. An absent mother and an alcoholic father who was killed on duty made up their parents. Wynonna was a wild card- she ran away for years after her family was broken and she left sweet little Waverly behind her. Everyone thought that she would stay the hell away from Purgatory and one day they’d get a call saying that she was found dead in a ditch somewhere. Waverly was smart, yes, but mostly she was pretty. She was nice to everyone in town and it was expected that she would marry some local boy and settle down.

Which is why it came as a complete shock when Wynonna blew back into town on her twenty-seventh birthday with a business license and enough cash to buy a property. No one was surprised that Wynonna Earp started a tattoo shop, but everyone was surprised when Waverly Earp gladly quit her job as a Shorty’s barmaid and went to work for her sister. 

Sure, she had always been artistic. In high school she was in the band and she took as many art classes as she could. Uncle Curtis and Aunt Gus paid for dance lessons, which evolved into cheerleading. It was unexpected, but she’s a damn good tattoo artist. 

Earp’s Ink quickly becomes the town’s favorite tattoo shop, even with Wynonna constantly refusing service to men who just want to leer at her baby sister.

The girls are living at the old Earp homestead, putting a good chunk of the money they earn into rebuilding and redecorating.

Everything seems perfect.

—

Nicole Haught is a lonely person. She always has been. She was an only child until the age of five, when her sister Haley was born. Her parents were reluctant to let her around the baby, and as they grew older, the age gap made it hard to relate to each other. 

At school, Nicole was all but shunned. She was too tall and too much of a tomboy and she was a ginger to boot. She was too interested in true crime shows and when she came out as a lesbian in her sophomore year of high school, she lost the few friends she had managed to make.

Her parents started ignoring her. She left as soon as she graduated high school and worked odd jobs just to buy food and keep a roof over her head. 

She saved up for years and years before she had enough money to move to a Podunk little down in the middle of nowhere, Canada. Everything in Purgatory is cheap as shit so Nicole buys a store with an apartment upstairs.

The only things that have ever been able to keep her company are cats and plants. Cats like Nicole and Nicole likes cats. She’s never met a cat that hasn't liked her, even the feral cats who lived in an alleyway that she passed on her walk home from her high school. Somewhere in Nebraska she had found a tiny orange kitten cowering in a box off the side of the road. Nicole knew that caring for a kitten would be almost impossible while she was living in her car, but the kitten just looked so terrified and Nicole couldn't help herself.

Nicole picked up the kitten and held her close, murmuring soft words. She didn't name the kitten until three days later when she saw a book about a woman named Calamity Jane in a secondhand bookstore. She bought the book for four dollars and eighty-two cents. The little orange furball became her first real friend in years. 

To most it may sound stupid, but Nicole thinks that everyone deserves flowers or at least some type of plant. They can't judge you or tease you. All you have to do is take care of them and they'll bring some color into your life.

Nicole reads as much as she can, and once she read a quote by the painter Monet. He said “I must have flowers, always, and always.” Nicole can't think of anything more true than that quote.

So the day after she moves into her apartment in Purgatory, she goes out to the local hardware store and she buys everything she needs to start growing her flowers. Starter pots, potting soil, seeds. She gets bigger pots that she’ll use to transfer her plants into when they get big.

She goes to a local print shop and makes a banner that just says flowers in big block letters. (She tells herself that she’ll think of a name later.)

She looks online and finds as many cheap, junky tables in the area as she can. She sets them up in the store and gets to planting. As soon as her seeds start sprouting she hangs up the banner and handwrites an open sign.

At four in the afternoon an old lady comes by and buys a couple of sweet pea seedlings. She welcomes Nicole to the town and says that she might stop by again.

Later that evening as Nicole is curled up on her old couch with Calamity Jane, she says that things might be getting better.


	2. Did You Say Your Name Was Ramblin' Rose?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A meeting.

Chapter Two

Nicole's shop has been open for two weeks when Waverly hears about it. A middle aged woman- Waverly is pretty sure she went to high school with her son- tells her about the new store when she comes in for a touch up on her tattoo of an infinity symbol. 

“The woman who runs it seems sweet. Maybe a bit quiet, but her plants are nice. Mostly just seedlings right now.” She quickly moves off of the topic, starting to talk about how she ran into a friend from college while on a shopping trip to the city.

Waverly nods occasionally, although she’s barely paying attention. She focuses on the tattoo and the touch up is over in no time. She runs through the care information and says to come back anytime if she has any questions or concerns.

She leaves and Waverly is alone in the shop- well, Wynonna is in the back, probably with a bottle of whisky and a magazine. She thinks about what the woman had said about the new store and the new face in town. 

Maybe she’ll make some banana muffins and drop by later, she thinks. Welcome the woman who decided to move to Purgatory and start a flower shop. Everyone deserves a friendly face when they're somewhere that’s new and unfamiliar. 

“Wynonna, I'm going home. Close up, okay?” She calls a few hours later, her hand already on the door handle.

A muffled response is shouted from the back room. Waverly assumes that her sister is agreeing with her and leaves the shop. She drives to the grocery store and picks up a few things before heading back to the homestead.

She makes a dozen of her banana muffins and heads back into town. Waverly doesn't quite know where the new store is, but Purgatory isn't large and she has no trouble finding it.

There’s a sign taped to the door that reads “we’re open” in all capital letters. It's written in purple marker and it makes Waverly smile. 

Waverly walks into the store, which is quiet save for the soft music coming from a speaker on an empty table. Most of the tables are full with seedlings and a few of the smaller flowers are even starting to bloom.

She sees movement behind one of the tables, a flash of blue and bright red. “Hello?” Waverly calls, taking a few steps further into the store.

More movement as the woman jerks up- and smacks her head on the bottom of a table. There’s a loud bang and a string of cursing as she straightens up, rubbing the back of her head. 

“Oh, shit, I'm sorry. Come on in. Is there anything that I can help you find?” She has red hair cut short and a blue tank top on and she’s tall. And really, really pretty. Waverly finds herself staring.

“Um, I brought muffins. I mean, I'm Waverly. Waverly Earp. And I came to welcome you to town and give you some muffins. They're banana.”

A bright smile appears on Nicole's face, and with it, dimples. Waverly thinks that Nicole’s smile could melt a glacier. “Earp as in Earp’s Ink? Not really what I expected. I'm Nicole Haught. And I would shake your hand, but… covered in dirt.” She waves her hand in the air. It is indeed covered with fresh potting soil.

Of course, Waverly thinks. She is quite literally Haught. “Well, my sister Wynonna owns the shop. I do most of the tattoos, though. To be honest, I'm pretty sure no one expected me to work there.”

Nicole grabs a rag from the table she hit her head on and wipes her hands on it. She gives Waverly another grin. “Well, Waverly Earp, it’s very nice to meet you. And thank you for the muffins.”

“Oh! Right,” Waverly says, holding the tin out. Nicole takes it, breathing in smell of bananas. “I just thought that I would introduce myself. You know, I won a nicest person in Purgatory award once. There was a sash.”

Nicole doesn't think she’s bragging. Really, she thinks it’s pretty funny. “That's my type of award.”

“Right? So what brings you to Purgatory?”

Nicole shrugs, setting the muffin tin down on an empty, mostly clean table. She walks to the counter that is along one wall and grabs a water bottle to take a long drink. “I got tired of moving around so much. I wanted a home. Also, property prices are low here.”

Waverly nods. “Hopefully you’ll find Purgatory to be a satisfactory home. We could use a good flower shop.”

“I'm working on finding a supplier so I can get flowers I can't grow myself. I think that everyone should have some sort of beauty in their lives. You do that too, really. Provide beauty, I mean.”

“Thank you, Nicole. I think I'll get out of your hair now. You looked busy when I walked in.”

Nicole holds up one finger up before darting to one of her tables. She inspects several different pots before selecting two. She brings them back to Waverly.

“Here. On the house, in exchange for the muffins. They're just pansies, so they're super easy to take care of. They’re little but they're absolutely adorable.” Just like you, Nicole thinks.

She holds the two small pots out. Waverly takes them, smiling gratefully. “Thank you. I'll be sure to stop by to tell you how they're doing.”

“Okay,” Nicole agrees, another grin growing on her face. “Don't forget to water them. And if you want to plant them outside be sure to be gentle. You don't want to shock them too bad. And they also do really well with the cold so you don't have to worry about the temperature getting too low. If you have any questions please feel free to stop by and ask.”

Waverly can't even remember how many times she's said almost the exact same words. She chuckles softly. “Will do. It was nice to meet you. Welcome to Purgatory.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Nicole says, waving as Waverly walks out of the store with her new seedlings.

Later that night Nicole sits on the floor with Calamity Jane in her lap and talks on and on about Waverly Earp. 

Waverly finds her flowers a home in a window in her bedroom. She sits on the bed and smiles at them, thinking about dimples and dirty hands. She waters the flowers before she goes to bed that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyyyy back again. As always let me know what you think in the comments. Thank you for reading


	3. You Belong Among the Wildflowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly meets Nicole's special someone and the girls spend some quality time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back. This chapter is kinda late and I'm sorry for that :(. I hope this longer chapter can make up for it. Hit me up on my tumblr @memesdreamsandbeans for sneak peeks and other random crap. (Also please ignore my complete incompetence and ignorance about how growing flowers from seed works)

Chapter Three

Waverly’s flowers bloom four days later. She thinks that the little pansies are charming and just as adorable as Nicole said they would be.

She’s been meaning to stop by, but work has been unusually busy lately. They’ve had multiple appointments for large or intricate tattoos. She tells everyone who comes by about the new flower shop in town. 

She finally makes it back to Nicole’s shop late after work one night. It’s almost eight o'clock and there’s almost no chance that it’s still open, but she takes her chances.

Waverly arrives to find the store lights still on and the open sign still taped to the door. She pushes the door open, a bell jingling as she does. Well, that's new. Waverly wonders if it has anything to do with her surprising Nicole during their first meeting.

There’s no Nicole in sight, but there is another ginger. She’s curled up on the counter, and she raises her head when the bell jingles. The cat tilts her head and meows curiously.

“Hello there, pretty kitty,” Waverly says, taking small steps closer to the cat. She holds her hand out to the cat once she’s close enough.

Calamity Jane stares at the small woman’s hand for a moment before meowing once more. Waverly stokes the cat’s head, her fingers sliding easily through the soft orange fur. 

The cat purrs, deciding that this human is worthy of her attention. Waverly hears a noise from the back of the store and looks up to see Nicole standing in a doorway. She’s carrying two bags of potting soil and she grins at Waverly.

“You’ve met Calamity Jane. I'm surprised that she’s letting you pet her. She doesn't usually take to strangers.” Nicole drops the bags next to the door and kicks the doorstop up to let the door bang shut.

“Hi, Nicole. I wasn't sure if you were open or not but the lights were on and the door wasn't locked so… I just came in.”

Calamity Jane meows excitedly as her owner approaches. “No worries. I was just carrying in some soil. Thought CJ here could keep me some company.”

The cat stands once Nicole is standing in front of the counter and meows insistently until Nicole rolls her eyes and picks her up.

She cradles the cat, whose purrs become louder. “How long have you had her?” Waverly asks, wiggling her fingers at the car, who watches with interest. 

Nicole stares up at the ceiling, muttering to herself for a moment as she tries to remember. “Just around a year ago, I think. Maybe a bit earlier. I was in Nebraska and I found her on the side of the road. I couldn't stand to leave her.”

Nicole presses a kiss against the top of Calamity’s head. Waverly smiles, watching as Calamity bumps her head against Nicole’s chin.

“Anyway, what brings you out here? You probably didn't come to listen to me talk about CJ.” 

“My flowers are blooming.”

“Really? That’s great! Do you like them?” Nicole beams, her adorable dimples coming out.

“I love them. Here, I took some pictures to show you…” Waverly takes her phone out of her back pocket to show Nicole the pictures.

“Good, good,” she murmurs, still gently stroking the cat in her arms. “I'm glad you like them. By the way, those muffins were delicious.”

“Thank you,” Waverly says, putting the phone back away. She hesitates before speaking again. “Do you think you could landscape?”

“Landscape?”

“Yeah. The homestead is so old and drab. It would be good to get some color in there. Get rid of all those weeds. Could you?”

“I’d do anything for a girl as pretty as you,” Nicole says, a hopefully flirtatious smile curling her lips. 

Waverly responds with a smirk. “Is that so? I'll be sure to remember that. Does Saturday work for you?”

“Saturday would be perfect.”

“Come any time. I'll be there all day.”

“See you then, Waverly Earp.”

—

“Hey, Nonna?”

“What up, baby girl?” Wynonna looks up from the plate of pancakes that she’s demolishing. There’s a trail of syrup down her chin.

“You know that new flower shop that opened up in town?”

“The one you were talking about with the cute tall ginger who you might have given a concussion? I've heard about it.”

“Yeah, I kind of hired her to landscape. She’s coming today.”

“So she’s gonna trim your bushes? Gonna mow your lawn?”

“Wynonna!”

Wynonna laughs, long and loud at the scandalized look on her little sister’s face. “What? You think that she’s cute, don't you?”

“Well, yeah but- Wynonna!”

“Don't get your panties in a bunch. It’ll make them harder to take off.”

Wynonna continues snickering, even after Waverly throws a blueberry at her. “I expect you to behave when she shows up, Wynonna. Got it?”

“Yeah, yeah, I won't interfere with your little crush. Ask her if she can plow the fields, Waves.”

“Wynonna!”

She shoves another bite of pancake into her mouth, grinning as Waverly shakes her head exasperatedly. 

Waverly is washing the dishes when a knock comes at the door. Wynonna had disappeared upstairs after she finished her pancakes to get out of Waverly’s hair. Waverly hopes that she’s finishing painting the upstairs bathroom, but she’s more than likely just getting drunk. Oh well.

Waverly wipes her hands on a towel and goes to answer the door. Nicole Haught is standing there, wearing a blue t-shirt and a grin.

“Good morning, Ms. Earp. I'm here to slave away and make your shit-show of a yard look nice.”

Waverly steps back, opening the door wider. “Come on in, Nicole. Have you had anything to eat today? I have pancakes.”

“That's very kind of you to offer, but I ate breakfast before coming here. By the way, when was the last time you weed whacked?”

“Um… Never?” Waverly offers, shrugging. Nicole grins, looking out the window over the kitchen sink.

“Yep, seems about right. So, seeing as this whole landscaping job came up very suddenly, I have nothing in the way of tools.”

“There should be some stuff in the barn. As you can tell, taking care of the lawn has never been a priority.”

“If I get tetanus from all this rusty metal laying around you're paying for my doctor’s bill. Also, can I borrow some sunscreen? I don't have any of that either and I'll burn like a wildfire if I don't get some sunscreen on.”

Nicole gestures vaguely to her pale skin and her red hair. “Right. I'll go find some sunscreen. Meet you in the barn?”

“Yep. On my way to your creepy ass, deteriorating barn. When it collapses on me, please mourn me. Make sure Calamity Jane finds a good home.”

Waverly rolls her eyes playfully at Nicole’s good-natured teasing. She pushes Nicole towards the door.

“Go, Nicole. I'll be there in a minute.”

Waverly heads off to the downstairs bathroom, searching around in the cabinets beneath the sink for sunscreen. She finally finds a half empty bottle of sunscreen. She's pretty sure that no one’s used it in years.

As she approaches the barn, she hears a loud crash then muttered curse words. Waverly grins, reminded of their first meeting.

She pushes open the barn door to find Nicole struggling with three different rakes and something that looks like a pick axe.

“Having a bit of trouble, Haught?” Nicole spins around at the sound of Waverly’s voice, dropping everything in her arms.

Her face turns almost the same shade of red as her hair. She straightens up, trying to regain some sense of control and confidence.

“Nope, everything is going exactly according to plan.”

“Looks like it. What are you looking for?”

“No idea. I'm actually pretty sure I should get rid of all that rusty metal I mentioned before. Get it out of the yard.”

“We could load it up into Wynonna’s pickup. There’s a place a couple hours away in the city where we could dump it.”

Nicole shakes her head. “You don't have to help me. This is kinda my job and all. And I wouldn't want to inconvenience your sister by stealing her truck.”

“She can use my Jeep if she needs to.”

“Waverly-”

Nicole is quickly cut off. “I want to go with you. It’ll be fun, like a road trip!”

“Yeah, a road trip with someone you barely know. For all you know, I could be an axe murderer. I could take you out on the middle of nowhere and-”

“We’re in the middle of nowhere right now. I think I can trust you enough that I'm not worried about you killing me.”

“Fair point. Alright, if you really wanna help, you need gloves. I have an extra pair in my glove box. Door should be open.”

Waverly hands Nicole the bottle of sunscreen before rushing out of the barn, pleased that Nicole is letting her help. 

She grabs the gloves from Nicole’s car and pops into the house to quickly tell Wynonna that she’ll be gone.

Waverly finds her sister sprawled out on her bed, which isn't surprising. She’s snoring lightly and clutching a pillow, and Waverly spots the probably empty whisky bottle on the nightstand.

She rips a piece of paper out of a notebook that was on her desk and writes a short message.

Wynonna, I'm taking your truck & heading into the city for a while. You can use my Jeep if you need, keys are in their spot. There’s leftover casserole in the fridge if you get hungry. Just heat it up (and don't burn the house down!) Love you! -Waverly.

She lays the piece of paper next to Wynonna in the bed. After, she hurries down the stairs. Outside, Nicole has already started to haul pieces of scrap metal into the truck.

They work together easily. Nicole is slightly surprised by just how strong Waverly is, despite her tiny body. Waverly explains the years and years of dance, then cheerleading in high school. 

Nicole teases Waverly about the sheer amount of crap in her yard as they work together to haul a barrel full of gravel into the back of the truck.

“Why is this even a thing? Why do you need a gravel barrel? Jesus Christ, this is heavy,” Nicole groans as they lift it up. 

“It's been there as long as I can remember. One time when I was really little my sister told me that there was a body in there and it would come out and haunt me if I didn't do what she said.”

Willa had never been very nice to her. As the youngest Earp, Waverly was little more than an annoyance. At best, she was a way to keep Willa entertained. 

Nicole looks shocked. “Wynonna? I can't believe she’d do that to you.” She leans against the truck, her brows furrowed.

Waverly shakes her head quickly. “No, no, I have another sister… Had another sister. Um, her name was Willa. She was so much older than me and we just didn't get along.”

Nicole catches the ‘had’ and nods slightly, not pushing the subject further. “Oh. Okay. So, I think that's everything, if you wanna get going?”

“Yeah. Yeah, let’s go.” Waverly nods, closing the tailgate. Nicole pushes off of the truck and the girls get into the truck, with Waverly driving.

She starts the truck and grins over at the redhead, the awkwardness of the moment before forgotten quickly. 

“Road trip time!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please remember to leave kudos or a comment, it means a TON. See you soon :)))))


	4. Blossom Out, Blossom Out, Blossom Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyyyy back again with this trash fic. Btw- I'm pretty sure there's some sort of vegan ice cream thing in Supergirl but I've never actually watched Supergirl, I just like the idea that Waves is into vegan and vegetarian foods lol. Exciting news- I got a shirt that looks like the one Nicole was wearing in the 2x02 scene (we all know the one I'm talking about) pics will be on my tumblr.... sometime. @memesdreamsandbeans. Other than that, go check out the other fics I've written. If you like Clexa, I got Clexa. You probably like Wayhaught and I have plenty of Wayhaught. Thanks for reading :))))) (BTW- song in this chapter is Scarlet Begonias by the Grateful Dead... also where the fic title comes from. and the first chapter title. It's a great song, go listen)

Chapter Four

Waverly lets Nicole mess with the radio. She eventually finds a classic rock station and settles on that. 

Nicole hums along with most of the songs as they play. Waverly glances over at her, watching as Nicole taps her fingers on her thigh along with the music.

“So…”

Nicole looks away from the window and over to Waverly. “Hmm?”

“That's cute. How you hum along to the music.”

A light blush creeps onto Nicole’s cheeks. “Oh. Yeah, um, I grew up listening to this stuff. My father always had music playing.”

“Where are you from?”

“Chicago. Although I haven't been back there in… almost eight years now.”

“Why have you been away so long?” Waverly glances back over at Nicole, who now has her head lowered. She fiddles with the hem of her shirt, sighing softly.

“There wasn't anything for me there. I didn't have any friends and my parents… we had a falling out. We don't talk anymore. So as soon as I graduated I just left.”

“I'm sorry if that was a really bad topic to bring-“

Nicole cuts Waverly off with a shake of her head and a dismissive wave of her hand. “It's fine. I guess that it doesn't really bother me all that much anymore. Don't worry about it.”

Waverly nods, silently cursing herself for making the atmosphere feel awkward again. Okay, maybe the impromptu road trip with someone she barely knows was a bad idea. 

Nicole clears her throat after about fifteen minutes of silence. “What did you do before you started working for your sister?”

“I worked at Shorty’s right out of high school. It wasn't the best job, but I got great tips and Shorty kept me safe from all the creeps.”

“You don't strike me as someone who needs saving. I've heard that you can be pretty fierce.”

It’s Waverly’s turn to blush. “Well, when you have a shotgun nearby and some drunk shit ticket is trying to grope you, what are you supposed to do? Threaten him with the shotgun.”

It makes Nicole laugh. “Good point. How often does the sheriff have to come down to break up bar fights?”

Waverly snorts softly. “Oh, he’s there every day during happy hour like clockwork. His deputies are always in and out dragging guys to the drunk tank.”

“I always wanted to be a police officer. Something about being able to help people and keep them safe. I don't know.”

“Why didn't you?”

“I guess I just lost the motivation, you know? I didn't really have anyone to cheer me on or tell me that I wasn't wasting my time… And I just didn't have the money to put myself through the academy.”

Waverly lets the words settle and she thinks them over. The more she thinks about how lonely Nicole must be, the more she wants to spend time with her.

She clears her throat, shooting another glance at Nicole. “I wanted to be a historian. My uncle Curtis payed for some online courses in high school. Dead languages.”

“That's neat. Why didn't you go off to college?”

“I don't know,” Waverly murmurs. “I have a degree by correspondence, but that's it. I was working at Shorty’s so I could save up enough to move and go to college, but then Wynonna came home.”

She pauses to collect her thoughts for a few minutes before continuing her explanation. “I think that’s why I didn't leave. I always hoped that Wynonna would come home and I was worried that if I left she wouldn't have any idea where I was. It’s probably silly, there are plenty of people who could've told her where I was.”

“No, no, it's not silly. I understand.” She doesn't, really. She doesn't know what it feels like to have someone to wait for, someone who makes her want to stick around. She would love to know what that’s like.

Waverly tries to change the subject to something a little less awkward. “How’d you get that little scar on your face?”

Nicole absentmindedly reaches her hand up and traces her fingers along the scar. And then she lies. “Um, I was eight and I was chasing a cat down the street. I tripped and hit my head off the sidewalk.”

Although the cat thing did happen, she didn't actually trip. She caught the cat, who had gotten scared when another kid threw a rock at him. The cat instantly took to her and calmed down. 

Actually, late in her junior year of high school, she, for lack of a better word, was jumped at her locker. She’d gotten used to the teasing and the stares, but this was the first time anyone had physically harmed her. It was hours after school had let out, but softball practice had just ended and Nicole needed her math book. She didn't notice the three boys that had approached from behind. That is, until her head was slamming into the side of her locker. She was thrown to the ground, where she hit her head again in the same area.

Nicole came out of it with a concussion, stitches on the side of her face, and three broken ribs. Along with that, bruises covering her abdomen and chest. The boys got suspended for two weeks. It wasn't the last time Nicole became a target. 

Waverly laughs, which jerks Nicole out of her morbid memories. “What wouldn't you do for a cat?”

“I'd say kill a man, but…”

Waverly laughs again and Nicole decides that it's a really good sound. She also decides then and there that she wants to spend more time with Purgatory’s sweetheart. As Waverly grins at her, she can't help but feel like maybe Waverly wants that too.

—

They unload all of the scrap metal at a recycling plant just outside of the city. They sit in the truck after, pleased that they completed their task.

“So, Earp, what are the highlights of the city? I'll have to come and spend some time here on a day off.”

“Or we could just hang around here for a while. There’s this vegan ice cream shop that is just fantastic.”

Nicole scrunches her nose up slightly. “Vegan ice cream, huh? I guess I could branch out a little bit.”

Waverly grins, reaching over to pat Nicole’s knee. “I know that it sounds gross, but it’s actually really good. I swear.”

“Yeah, well, if it’s bad you’re paying me double for this job,” Nicole grumbles, although a playful smile tugs at the corners of her lips.

“And if you like it, I win the absolute pleasing of having you take me out for coffee.”

“Deal, Earp,” Nicole says, holding her hand out. Waverly shakes it firmly, holding back a giggle. 

Waverly drives them to the ice cream parlor, laughing when Nicole starts belting out the lyrics of a Grateful Dead song that comes on the radio.

“She wore scarlet begonias tucked into her curls, I knew right away she was not like other girls, other girls,” Nicole sings, drumming her fingers on the dashboard.

“Oh my god, Haught, you're such a dork!” Waverly is laughing harder than she has in years and she feels light and truly happy.

Nicole ignores her, starting to dance a little in her seat as she continues to sing along. “Well there ain’t nothin’ wrong with the way she moves, all scarlet begonias or a touch of the blues!” Nicole’s voice takes on more of an exaggerated southern twang just to draw another laugh from Waverly.

The song, along with Nicole’s karaoke session, ends as they pull into the parking lot. Waverly has to take a moment and collect herself, wiping at the tears that had formed because she was laughing so hard. 

Nicole nudges the shorter woman, her dimples on full display. “So? What’d you think?”

“I think that you're very talented, Nicole. And that that was one of the funniest things I've seen in quite a while.”

“I am equally flattered and offended, Earp. That’s my favorite song.”

“You're cute. Does it being your favorite song have anything to do with it having lyrics about flowers?”

“No. Shut up,” Nicole says quickly, an embarrassed flush creeping onto her skin. 

“Too cute,” Waverly murmurs, smiling fondly at Nicole. “Let’s go get our ice cream.”

—

Waverly gets peanut butter fudge, while Nicole gets coconut. They sit at a table next to a window, watching people pass by on the sidewalk.

“So, what do you think? Pretty good, huh?”

Nicole rolls her eyes, trying to fight back a smile. “Fine, I like it. It actually doesn't taste all that different than normal ice cream.”

“Told you,” Waverly says. “Here, try mine.” She slides her dish across the table to Nicole. She steals a bite, nodding in approval.

“Good. So I suppose that you win.”

“Mhm. You will be taking me out for coffee.”

“It's a date,” Nicole says. Waverly grins and Nicole is pretty sure that she didn't actually lose at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the chapter. If you liked, let me know in the comments. It means a lot and it helps motivate me!!! Pop over to my tumblr for sneak peeks and general weirdness. Chapter Two of Like Dreaming of Angels will be out VERY soon ;))))))


	5. Flowers in Your Hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Earp girls have some feelings. Also, a coffee date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey I'm back and ugh school is gross so updates will be delayed. I'm suuuuuper sorry. Feel bad about that :/. Anyway here's the late chapter thanks

Chapter Five

Nicole is at the Homestead early the next two days, working long hours to try and get the yard back into shape. She weed whacks and mows, which takes much longer than Waverly thought it would. 

By the third day, she’s gotten the long grass under control. She's even put new grass seed down and fertilized it all. She’s gotten to work on the garden plot- which is completely overgrown and tangled with weeds. She’s attacking it with a pitchfork, and the flannel she was wearing has been tossed somewhere, leaving her in a plain black sports bra. 

Which is what leads to Wynonna staring at Nicole out of the kitchen window, a cup of coffee (with a dash of whisky) in her hands.

She slowly turns to Waverly, who is standing next to her. “Um, wow. I can totally see why you wanna tap that.”

Waverly is distracted by the way the muscles in Nicole’s arms look when she yanks the pitchfork out of the ground. “Mhm,” is her only vague reply. 

“If you don't hop on that I might have to.”

“Fuck off, Wynonna.”

“I’d fuck off straight into Red’s gorgeous arms.”

“Seriously, Wynonna, shoo. Go away,” Waverly pushes Wynonna away from the window, glancing away from the window.

“Alright, alright. I got it, you called dibs. Just let me know when a new bakery opens up and the owner is a complete stud-muffin.”

With that, Wynonna saunters out of the room. Of course, she makes sure to grab the bottle of whisky from the counter as she does.

—

Nicole’s made admirable progress in the last few hours. She actually has some of the garden plot completely weed free.

Waverly slips a pair of shoes on before going outside, making her way to the back of the house and Nicole.

“Hey, Nic. I think it’s break time. Don’t overwork yourself.”

Nicole stabs the pitchfork into soft earth at Waverly’s words. “A break sounds like a fantastic idea. I thought Canada was supposed to be cold.”

“We have summer too. Come inside, get something to drink.”

“Thank god,” Nicole murmurs, following Waverly inside the house. Nicole sits at the kitchen table, watching as Waverly grabs cups and what looks like a pitcher of iced tea.

“Hope you like tea,” she says as she sets a glass down in front of Nicole, pouring tea into it. 

“Who doesn't? Thank you so much.” 

“No problem. Are you hungry? I can make you a sandwich. Do you like turkey?”

“I, uh… Sure,” Nicole says. She doesn't really think she has a choice, as Waverly is already gathering the ingredients to assemble a sandwich. It's very appreciated, though. 

Just a few minutes later, Waverly sets a sandwich in front of her. It's cut diagonally, which Nicole finds adorable and very Waverly.

She eats quickly, realizing just how hungry she actually was. 

“So…”

“So?” Nicole repeats, looking up at Waverly.

“Are you busy after this?”

“Nope. My entire day is free.”

“Well… wanna go out for that coffee?” Waverly asks, flicking her gaze up to Nicole, her head slightly bowed down. 

A grin spreads across Nicole’s face. “You know what? I'd love to.”

“You should probably put a shirt on first. Just a suggestion.”

Nicole’s face grows red as she looks down and realizes her partially undressed state. “Oh my god, Waverly, I'm so sorry. I didn't- I mean- uh…”

Waverly laughs softly, watching as Nicole buries her face in her hands. “It's totally fine, Nicole. Seriously, I don't… I don't mind.”

Nicole stands abruptly, the chair scraping on the floor. “I'm gonna go get my shirt. I'll be right back.”

She practically flees outside, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. Waverly's laughter follows her. 

Nicole returns a few minutes later, buttoning the last few buttons on her shirt. Her face is still that bright shade of red and she refuses to look at Waverly.

She stands behind her chair, staring down at the table. “I'm gonna run home and take a shower.”

“Wanna meet up at the diner in two hours?”

“Yeah, sure. I'll, um, see you then.”

Nicole gives an awkward little wave before running away again. 

—

Two hours later, Waverly is sitting in a booth at the diner, a mug of coffee cradled in her hands. 

The bell above the door chimes and Waverly looks up to see Nicole walking in. She glances around and spots Waverly, a shy smile creeping onto her lips.

She slides into the seat across from Waverly, running a hand through her hair.

“Hey, Waves. Did I keep you waiting long?”

“Not at all,” Waverly says, sitting up just a bit straighter. Nicole had replaced her blue button up shirt with… another blue button up shirt. She's also wearing a thick jacket. 

“That's good. Look, I'm sorry that I ran out on you so fast earlier.”

Waverly shakes her head, running her fingertips along the rim of her mug. “Oh, don't be. I completely understand.”

Nicole watches Waverly’s fingers, stammering slightly. “I, uh, okay. I'm glad. That you understand. That you aren't mad or anything. Yeah.”

Waverly watches her with a smile on her face. A waitress comes over, places a mug in front of Nicole, and pours coffee into it. 

Nicole thanks her, flashing her a quick smile. The waitress returns it, sliding her hand across Nicole’s shoulder slowly as she walks away.

Nicole grabs a packet of sugar, shaking it before she rips it open and pours it into the mug. 

The shorter woman glares after the waitress- Hetty, she remembers. They went to high school together. “That was odd.”

“Hmm?” Nicole hums, looking up at Waverly. “What was odd?”

“Just… the way she was touching you,” Waverly says. She’s not jealous. No, that'd be ridiculous. She doesn't even have any reason to be jealous. (Okay, she might be a little jealous.)

Nicole takes a sip of her coffee before chucking softly. “What way was she touching me?”

Waverly huffs. “She was being touchy. Like flirty touchy.”

Nicole sets her mug down, raising one eyebrow. “Really? I didn't notice that. Eh, she's not really my type.”

Waverly raises her eyebrows this time. “Oh yeah? What is your type, then?”

The redhead takes a moment, pretending to think the question over. “Hmm.. I have a soft spot for pretty girls who work at tattoo shops and love vegan ice cream.”

Waverly grins.

—

They spend hours there, going through more cups of coffee than they probably should, considering the darkening sky outside.

To them, it feels like no time has passed at all. They probably would have been content to sit there together all night, if not for the chime that comes from Waverly’s phone.

It snaps them out of their little bubble and Waverly checks her phone, finding a message from Wynonna.

She sighs softly. “I'm sorry, Nic. Wynonna needs my help with something back at the Homestead. I had… such a good time tonight. Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. I had a great time too. We should definitely do this again sometime.”

Waverly nods in agreement, watching as Nicole flags down the waitress so she can cover the bill. (Hetty scowls, displeased with the lack of attention she had gotten from Nicole despite her best efforts.)

They walk out of the diner together, a shiver running through Waverly as they step into the cool spring air.

Nicole quickly shrugs her jacket off, draping it over Waverly’s shoulders. She smiles up at the taller woman, wrapping it tight around herself.

“Thanks, Nic,” she whispers as they arrive at her Jeep. Waverly leans against it, reaching out to place a hand on the redhead’s forearm.

“No problem. I'll see you soon, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Waverly says, nodding. She looks down at her feet for a moment before suddenly stepping closer to Nicole. She stands up on her tiptoes, pressing a quick kiss against Nicole’s cheek.

Nicole is left standing there, her hand half raised to her cheek. There’s a smile on her lips as she watches Waverly drive off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and stuff telling me what you think. Thanks friends


	6. There are Flowers in the Cities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back friends

Chapter Six

The bell on the door jingles as Nicole pushes it open. It only takes a moment for her to conclude that the mental image she had of the tattoo shop was very wrong. 

She had expected it to look like a typical tattoo shop. Lots of black, lots of leather, lots of loud, harsh music. What she finds is the exact opposite.

The place is bright, large windows covered only by sheer curtains letting sunlight in. There’s a faint, smoky smell in the air that Nicole recognizes right away as incense. (A few years back she had crashed with a friend who burned incense occasionally.)

Some soft guitar song is being played over the speakers. Nicole thinks that she faintly recognizes the song, but she can't quite place it. There’s a small waiting area, complete with comfortable looking couches and a coffee table piled with binders that Nicole suspects are full of drawings.

Nicole takes a seat on one of the couches and picks up the nearest binder, flipping it open to the first page. Mostly, the binder has examples of different fonts that are available, but towards the back, more actual drawings start to appear. There are also a few pictures of actual tattoos. They’re cute and minimalistic and Nicole counts at least three Harry Potter tattoos in the span of two pages.

She hears footsteps approaching and closes the binder, setting it back down in its spot on the coffee table. Nicole stands up just as Waverly starts speaking, her voice cheery and light.

“Hi, welcome to Earp’s Ink, how can I- Nicole! What are you doing here?” Waverly bypasses the counter, instead meeting Nicole for a quick hug and fleeting wishes that she could kiss the woman in front of her.

“I just wanted to drop by and see the shop... See you,” Nicole replies. Her hand lingers on Waverly’s waist for a moment after their hug. At Nicole’s words, a faint blush spreads across Waverly’s cheeks and she glances away shyly.

“That’s sweet, Nicole,” she says. Nicole finally lets her hand drop and Waverly can’t help but feel the empty space where she wishes Nicole would touch her again. Waverly clears her throat, her normal bright grin returning. “So, do you think I could convince you to get a tattoo?”

“Who’s to say that I don’t already have a tattoo?”

Waverly’s eyes widen in surprise. Her gaze darts up and down Nicole’s body, trying to imagine what and where this surprise tattoo is. “What- really? I didn’t think that you were really into that or-“

“I don’t actually have a tattoo, Waves. I was just teasing,” Nicole says, her dimples showing. “I think I would like one. Maybe not today, but when I do... I think you’ll be the first to know.”

“Well, I’m not busy right now. I don’t have anything scheduled for another... hour and a half,” Waverly says, glancing at the watch on her wrist. “We could go get some lunch or something?”

“I could cook for you,” Nicole replies almost immediately. “I mean... I’ve been meaning to try out this recipe that I found and I have all the ingredients back at my place. We could go there and I could cook for you.”

“I... okay. Let’s go,” Waverly says, nodding quickly. “Let me just grab my stuff and lock up, okay?”

“Yeah, no problem,” Nicole says, watching as Waverly darts into a doorway that has a thin curtain hanging down to separate it from the rest of the store. 

Waverly reappears a moment later, holding her phone and a set of keys. She holds up the keys, shaking them slightly. “Just gotta lock up. Wynonna’s not here to be my guard dog.”

“Oh? Where is she?” Nicole asks, following Waverly through the door. She locks it and checks that it’s actually locked. She smiles up at Nicole after she checks the door. It’s small, and Nicole can tell that Waverly is just the tiniest bit nervous. If Nicole is being honest, she feels those same nerves around the other woman.

“She’s off with one of her not-boyfriends. His name is Xavier. I’ve actually met him a few times, which is more than I can say for most of the men she hooks up with... he’s nice, if a bit intense.” Waverly shrugs, following at Nicole’s side as she starts to walk back to her apartment.

“Wynonna seems more than a bit intense. I’m sure that she can handle him.”

“They balance each other out. He’s quiet, she never shuts up. He’s no-nonsense, she’s all the nonsense.”

Nicole laughs, cocking her head to the side. “From what you’ve told me about Wynonna, I’m not surprised.”

The conversation moves towards a history thing that Waverly had been researching in her time off. Nicole clings onto every word, nodding along. Nicole is sure that Waverly must be magical in some way. She has no idea how Waverly can take something as seemingly boring and mundane as the first ink used for tattoos and make it so fascinating.

“Anyway, then they started to use- oh, we’re here,” Waverly says, noticing that Nicole had stopped walking. “I guess I kind of took over the conversation.”

“No, no, not at all!” Nicole says. She fishes her keys out of her pocket and unlocks the door. “I love listening to you talk about history stuff. You should tell me more later.”

The look on Waverly’s face is almost surprised. Nicole grins, leading her through the door. “It’s just... people usually don’t listen to me when I talk about stuff like that. They just kind of tune me out.”

“I’m not people,” Nicole says. She hesitates momentarily before stretching her hand out to Waverly. She takes it with no hesitation. “C’mon. Let’s get upstairs. CJ will probably be all over you as soon as we step inside.”

“I have no problem with that,” Waverly says. Nicole pulls her into the back room, which is piled high with bags of soil and assorted gardening tools. Off to the side there’s a staircase that looks suspiciously old to Waverly. It creaks loudly under their weight.

As soon as they reach the top of the stairs, Waverly can hear insistent meowing from just beyond the door. “Told you so,” Nicole says, rolling her eyes playfully. The second that the door is open, Calamity bounds out and winds around Nicole’s ankles.

“Hi, kitty. Yes, I know you missed me.” Nicole reaches down and gingerly picks the cat up, craning her head away as Calamity tries to lick her entire face. “God, sometimes I swear that she’s part dog.”

“She’s such a good girl. I never managed to keep a pet for very long,” Waverly says, scratching the cat under her chin. Calamity’s purrs get louder and she leans her head into Waverly’s palm.

“Oh, really? Why?” Nicole steps inside, Waverly following close behind.

“I had some hamsters when I was little, but it didn’t last for long. My daddy got really annoyed whenever they would squeak or run on their wheel or... anything, really.” Waverly sighs softly. “He made me take them back to the lady we bought them from.”

“That’s terrible,” Nicole says, her tone sincerely indignant. “My mom never liked animals very much. A few times I tried to sneak kittens into my bedroom but she always found out. She said they were dirty and dangerous beasts.”

Waverly lets out a surprised laugh. “Dirty and dangerous? I think that Calamity would be personally offended if she heard someone call her that.”

“She definitely would be,” Nicole says, glancing down at the cat now asleep in her arms. “Okay. I’m gonna go get started on lunch. Feel free to poke around up here. I can tell that you’re dying to.”

Nicole sets Calamity down and walks off to what Waverly assumes is the kitchen. Nicole was right, the second that Waverly stepped inside the apartment she wanted to investigate everything. 

The apartment is expectedly small, but it feels like Nicole has already made it a home. There are framed pictures hung up on the wall, most of them featuring Nicole standing in front of some landmark or pretty nature background.

Nicole is very obviously a few years younger in some of them. Her hair is much longer in some of them, instead of her current shorter cut. Her face looks softer, less defined in some of them.

There’s a painting on the wall too, a forest scene with a herd of deer far off. Below the painting there’s a little end table that Nicole has covered with plants. There are a few flowers that are blooming and even a little cactus. The cactus’ pot has a cute little sun painted on it.

There are also cat toys strewn around the room and a scratching post in one corner. Calamity Jane lazily paws at a toy mouse. She doesn’t seem really interested in actually playing with it. Waverly also sees a bag of cat treats lying on the coffee table, which is otherwise empty.

Across the room, there’s a bookshelf that has a mix of books and random trinkets. There’s a snow globe from Oregon and one of those little models of the Empire State Building. The books range from philosophy to history to what looks like a cheap romance novel.

The corner of a white envelope peeking out from between two books catches Waverly’s eye. She gently pulls it out, flipping it over to see if anything is written on it. It’s blank, but she can feel something inside. She pulls out a stack of photographs. The first one is just like the ones on the wall, but... there’s another woman in this picture.

She’s gorgeous. Almost as tall as Nicole and slender, with a smile that could rival the stars in brightness. Waverly flips through more of the pictures, most of them having this woman and Nicole in them. There are a few pictures that have just her, and they look like Nicole took them herself. 

There’s one with her in hospital scrubs, looking tired but happy as she stretches out on a couch. Another where she’s in a bed, only her head sticking out of the covers. She looks tired and grumpy with her hair wild. 

She doesn’t hear Nicole’s footsteps approaching. “I’m almost done if you want to- wait, what’s that?” 

Waverly jumps at the sudden sound of Nicole’s voice, the pictures falling to the floor. Nicole steps closer, looking down at them.

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry- I just found this envelope and I opened it and I’m so sorry if you didn’t want me to see these or something and-”

“Don’t worry about it,” Nicole says, going down on one knee to start picking them up. “I was in Nevada five years ago doing some rock climbing. I fell and busted my shoulder and she was my doctor. We worked for a while, but she ended up pressuring me to be someone that I didn’t want to be. It’s all in the past now. I’ve been meaning to get rid of these pictures anyway, but I couldn’t remember where I put them.”

Nicole stands up with a smile that looks genuine. “Are you sure? I didn’t mean to drag up any bad memories or anything.”

“Waverly,” Nicole murmurs, placing a gentle hand on her waist. “You didn’t do anything wrong, okay? Now, I’m almost done with our lunch. Come on into the kitchen with me now.”

“Okay,” Waverly whispers, following behind Nicole as she walks back to the kitchen. She pretends that she doesn’t see Nicole drop the pictures into her garbage can.

Nicole gestures towards the small, round table sitting in the corner. “Sit down. Food’ll be ready in a minute.”

Waverly does as she asks, pulling out a chair and sitting down. There’s a vase in the middle of the table holding a bouquet of poppies. Her refrigerator is covered with souvenir magnets and sticky notes covered in Nicole’s scrawl.

“I’m sorry if it’s not very good. It’s vegetarian, though.” Nicole shrugs, setting a plate carrying a sandwich that would look at home in a gourmet restaurant down in front of Waverly. She turns back to the stove for a moment before returning with her own plate. She sits across from Waverly, one corner of her mouth quirked up into a smile.

“That’s always a plus. And it looks absolutely delicious, Nicole!” 

“Thank you. There’s mozzarella and tomato and basil,” Nicole says, her small smile turning into a grin as she grabs her sandwich.

They eat, discussing the food and coming to the conclusion that lunch was delicious and they should meet up again soon. 

After Nicole clears away the plates, she lays a gentle hand on Waverly’s shoulder. “Can you stay for a while longer? Have a cup of coffee?”

“Of course,” Waverly says, covering Nicole’s hand with her own. Her hand is warm and larger than Waverly’s own, but soft. 

“Okay. I’ll get the coffee started.” Nicole turns away again and Waverly watches as she moves around her kitchen, pulling two mugs out of one of the cupboards.

Calamity Jane wanders into the kitchen, meowing for attention. “Hi, pretty kitty!” Waverly says, reaching down to pick the cat up. She starts purring and kneading happily on Waverly’s legs.

Nicole turns, raising one eyebrow. “Hey, no cats at the table.”

“Oh, but she’s so happy! Look at her, Nicole. Could you say no to this little face?” Waverly asks, gesturing towards Calamity’s contented face.

Nicole rolls her eyes playfully. “She knows she’s not allowed at the table. She’s only getting away with it because you’re here.”

“I feel truly blessed, and I’m sure Calamity does too.” Nicole shakes her head, laughing quietly. She turns back to the counter and pours the coffee.

She opens her fridge to grab the half and half and pours a dash into one of the cups. Nicole pours sugar into the other mug and returns to the table, setting the mug with cream in it in front of Waverly.

“You remember how I take my coffee,” Waverly says, slowly spinning the mug. It has little dinosaurs printed on it. Nicole’s has cat paws.

“You’re a very memorable woman, Waverly Earp.”

“I could say the same to you, Nicole Haught. I’m not sure I could forget a woman who owns a dinosaur mug.”

Nicole blushes, looking down at the table. “Well, you gotta love dinosaurs. Right?”

“Of course! Dinosaurs are essential for every adult woman who owns their own business and apartment and has a serious life in front of them.”

“Oh, stop teasing me. I’m sure I could find something equally as embarrassing in your house.”

“I don’t disagree. However, while I have the opportunity, I’m still going to tease you relentlessly.”

“Oh, alright,” Nicole says, groaning into her coffee.

—

“Thank you, Waves.”

“Thank me for what?” Waverly asks, shrugging her jacket back on as the two women stand by Nicole’s door.

“For coming over, of course. And being such a sweetheart and all.”

“Aw, Nicole, I’m always happy to come over,” Waverly says, reaching out to grab Nicole’s hands in her own. They lock their fingers together, both of them stepping slightly closer. 

Nicole dips her head slightly, the tips of their noses brushing together. “Good. Call me when you get back to your store so I know you’re safe.”

“It’s ten minutes away, Nic,” Waverly says, giggling as she brings one of her hands up to rest on Nicole’s cheek.

“Call me anyway.”

Waverly pulls Nicole closer, their lips crashing together. Nicole melts into the kiss, her free hand moving to Waverly’s waist.

“I will. See you soon, Nic.” Waverly pulls away, shooting Nicole one last grin before she turns and walks out of Nicole’s apartment.

Nicole stands staring at the door, a dopey smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello I hope you enjoyed and also please leave reviews or kudos because it makes my small gay heart feel nice.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment down below to let me know what you think. Feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading! :)


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